Automatic valve



H. HELLWEG. AUTOMATIC VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1 l- 191?.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

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HENRY HELLWEG, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

AUTOMATIC VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 11, 1917. Serial No. 173,993.

To all whom it may concern:

7 Be it known that I, HENRY HELLW'EG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Valves, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates more particularly to fluid-supply regulating valves which are automatically opened by fluid pressure against a yielding resistance which tends to close them.

The main objects of the invention are to make such valves more sensitively responsive in operation to variations of pressure; to enable them to open fully when subjected to predetermined changes in fluid pressure and thus insure an adequate supply of fluid under conditions requiring an increased supply, such as the air supply to carbureters; to slightly check or retard the initial opening and closing movements of such valves and thus in connection with carbureters to insure a sufiiciently rich mixture upon initial opening of the throttle valve and accelerating the speed of the engine, and to avoid over enrichment of the mixture upon the initial closing of the throttle valve and checking the speed of the engine; and generally to improve the construction and operation of valves of this class so as to automatically and more accurately control and regulate the flow of fluid, particularly the air supply to carbureters using the heavier or less volatile grades of oil or liquid fuel in connection withinternal combustion engines.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction, arrangement and combination of parts as hereinafter particularly described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing like characters designate the same parts in both figures.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section on the line 11, Fig. 2, of a valve embodying the invention in connection with a carbureter with which it is specially designed to be used; and Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line j 'The device as shown, comprises a valve case composed of two sections or parts, 1 and 2, connected with each other by screwthreads, so that one section or part may be adjusted axially relatively to the other. The inlet section, Which is internally threaded and engages an external thread on the section 2, is formed with a valve seat 3, and is provided with a tubular extension 4:.

The section 2 is formed with a spider or cross p ece 5, in which is fastened a rod 6, pro ectmg therefrom axially into the section 1.

A valve 7, having a tubular stem 8 fitted and guided on the rod 6, is movable from and toward the seat 3, to open and close the passage through the valve case more or less, as hereinafter explained.

An angular lever fulcrumed on a pin 9 carried by ears 10 on the extension 4, has an arm 11 extending through a slot in said extension into a longitudinal slot in the valve stem 8, and engaging an axial adjusting screw 12 threaded in the end of said stem and secured in place therein by a lock nut 13. The shorter arm 14 of said lever is connected by a curved link 15 with one end of a splral spring 16, the other end of which is adjustably connected with a notched stud or projection 17, attached to section 2 of the valve case, the spring being approximately parallel with the axis of the valve case, and the pivot connectioin 18 between the lever and link being movable transversely to and toward and from a straight line w-x, passing through the fixed end of the spring and the fulcrum of the lever.

The spring and lever which tend to close the valve, are so constructed, arranged and adjusted as to oppose a diminishing yielding resistance to the opening movement of the valve, the spring being but slightly extended and its tension but slightly increased, while its leverage on the valve is reduced by the approach of the pivot 18 toward the line w:c, and vice versa, with the opening and closing movements of the valve. The yielding resistance to the initial opening movement of the valve is thus slightly augmented, while the pull of the spring effecting the initial closing movement of the valve is slightly reduced, so that upon an increase of the fluid pressure against the valve sufficient to start it away from its seat, the valve will be instantly opened to the fullest extent, and upon a reduction of such fluid pressure sufficient to enable the spring to start the valve back toward its seat, it will be closed to the fullest extent permitted by stops limiting its opening and closing movements, as hereinafter explained.

The opening movement of the valve 7 is Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

'different conditions.

limited by a stop collar 19, which is removably fitted on the guide rod 6 and may be replaced by another or": different thickness to vary the extent of opening of the valve as may be necessary or desirable according to The stop 19 serves to prevent the movement of the pivot 18 quite to the line 0a-aby the opening of the valve. The engagement of the lever arm 11 with the end of the slot through which it passes into the extension 4 of the valve case would also prevent the movement of the pivot 18 beyond line 00-w with the opening of the valve.

The closing movement of the valve 7 is limited by an adjustable stop consisting of an eccentric 20 having a stem 21 passing outwardly through and threaded in a boss on section 1 of the valve case and provided at its outer end with a head 22 for adjusting the eccentric which is fastened in adjusted position by a lock nut 28.

Section 1 of the valve case is formed with a longitudinal groove 24:, and section 2 is provided with a spring actuated detent or latch pin 25, which by engagement with said groove determines the proper relation of one section relative to the other and holds them in that relation.

1 In Fig. 1 a oarbureter 26 is shown with the air inlet of which section 2 or the outlet end of the valve case is connected.

The carburetor is provided as usual with a throttle valve 27 for controlling and regulating the supply of the combustible mixture formed in the carbureter, to an engine.

In the operation of the automatic valve constituting the present invention for controlling and regulating the air supply to a carbureter, the stop 20 being adjusted, as

shown in Fig. 1, to prevent the complete closing of the valve and afford the requisite supply of air to the carbureter for running the engine without load and at the slowest speed, when the throttle valve 27 is opened wider the speed of the engine is accelerated, thereby increasing the vacuum in the carbureter and hence the supply of oil or liquid fuel requiring an increased supply of air to form and maintain a combustible mixture of proper proportions.

As soon as the unbalanced air pressure against the inlet side of the valve 7 resulting from the increased vacuum within the carbureter is sufiicient to overcome the initial. resistance of the spring 16 and the inertia of the valve, the valve will be instantly shifted to the limit of its opening movement determined by the stop 19, the resistance of the spring to the opening movement of the valve gradually diminishing, due to the approach of the pivot 18 toward the line a2-00.

The valve will be held fully open as long as a suflicient vacuum is maintained in the carbureter by the operation of the engine at accelerated speed or under increased load, to balance or slightly exceed the reduced pull of the spring tending to close the valve.

When on the other hand, the throttle valve 27 is closed or partially closed to reduce the speed of the engine, and hence the vacuum, and the resulting air pressure against the valve 7 are reduced to a point at which the tension of the spring 16, acting with reduced leverage, is sufficient to start said valve back toward the seat 3, the valve will be shifted to the limit of its closing movement, determined by the adjustment of the stop 20.

The spring 16 thus exerting through the lever with which it is connected, a gradually decreasing resistance to the opening movement of the valve 7, and a gradually increasing pull in closing the valve, sufiicient re sistance is opposed to the initial opening movement of the valve to insure a properly carbureted mixture for starting the engine, an increased and adequate supply of air will be admitted to the carbureter when the speed of the engine is accelerated, and the initial closing movement of the valve will be re tarded or rendered sluggish when the throttle valve 27 is closed or partially closed, thereby avoiding a sudden and momentary over-enrichment of the mixture.

The tension of the spring 16 may be adjusted without changing the adjustment or action of the lever with which it is connected, by disconnecting the spring from the stud 17, turning one section of the valve case relative to the other one or more revolutions to lengthen or shorten the distance between the fulcrum pin 9 of the lever and the stud 17, as required, and finally reengaging the spring with the stud.

The relation of the pivot connection 18 between the lever and the link 15 to the line IJQ7, and hence the leverage of the spring on the valve 7 at the limits of its movement may be varied as required, according to varying conditions, to produce the most satisfactory results, by turning the screw 12 in or out of the valve stem 8 more or less. The adjustment of the screw 12 slightly changes the tension of the spring 16, but this may be compensated for if necessary or desirable, by the adjustment of the valve case as above explained, to lengthen or shorten the distance between the fixed end of the spring and the fulcrum of the lever. The action of the spring on the lever and valve 7 may be modified by engaging the fixed end of the spring with different notches in the stud 17. By means of these several adjustments the action of the spring and lever and their effect on the operation of the valve'7 may be varied to meet the varying conditions of service under which the valve is used.

I claim:

1. An automatic valve adapted to be opened by fluid pressure and provided with a spring and lever tending to close the valve and arranged to oppose a diminishing resistance to its opening movement and act with increasing energy in its closing movement.

2. An automatic valve adapted to be opened by fluid pressure acting thereon, in combination with a lever connected with the valve, and a spring fixed at one end, connected with the lever and tending to close the valve, the point of connection between the spring and lever being movable transversely to, and toward and from, a line passing through the fixed end of the spring and the fulcrum of the lever.

3. An automatic valve adapted to be opened by fluid pressure and provided with an angular lever having an arm connected with the valve, and a spring connected at one end with the lever and at the other end with a fixed part of the valve and tending to close the valve, the point of connection between the spring and lever being movable transversely to, and toward and from, a straight line passing through the fixed end of the spring and the fulcrum of the lever.

4. An automatic valve comprising a valve case provided with a seat, a valve movable axially toward and from said seat, an angular lever having an arm connected with the valve and disposed transversely to its axis, a spring fixed at one end and arranged approximately parallel with the axis of the valve, a link connecting the other end of the spring with the other arm of the lever, the point of connection between the link and lever being movable transversely to, and toward and from, a straight line passing through the fixed end of the spring and the fulcrum of the lever.

5. An automatic valve comprising a case provided with a seat, a valve movable axially toward and from said seat and adapted to be opened by fluid pressure, an angular lever having an arm disposed transversely to the axis of the valve and adjustably connected therewith, a spring arranged approximately parallel with the axis of the valve and connected at one end with the other arm of the lever and at the other end with a fixed part of the valve, the point of connection between the spring and lever being movable with the opening and closing of the valve transversely to, and toward and from, a straight line passing through the fixed end of the spring and the fulcrum of the lever and a stop for limiting the opening movement of the valve before said point reaches said line.

6. An automatic valve comprising a case provided with a seat and with an axial guide rod, a valve having a longitudinally slotted tubular stem movably fitted on said rod and provided with an axial adjusting screw, an angular lever having an arm passing transversely through the slot in the stem and engaging said adjusting screw, and a spring arranged approximately parallel with the axis of the valve and connected at one end with the other arm of said lever and at the other end with a fixed part of the valve; the point of connection between the spring andlever being movable transversely to, and toward and from, a straight line passing through the fixed end of the spring and the fulcrum of the lever.

7. An automatic valve comprising a case composed of sections connected by screwthreads and adjustable axially one relative to the other, one of the sections being provided with a valve seat, a valve guided and movable axially in the case toward and from said seat, an angular lever fulcrumed on one of said sections and having an arm disposed transversely to the axis of the valve and connected therewith, and a spring arranged approximately parallel with the axis of the valve and connected at one end with the other section of the valve case and at the opposite end with the other arm of said lever, the point of connection between the spring and lever being movable transversely to, and toward and from, a straight line passing through the fixed end of the spring and the fulcrum of the lever.

8. In an automatic valve the combination of a case provided with a seat, a valve guided in said case and axially movable -toward and from said seat, an angular lever having an arm connected with the valve and disposed transversely to its axis, and a spring connected at one end with the valve case and at the other end with the other arm of said lever, the point of connection between the spring and lever being movable transversely to, and toward and from, a straight line passing through the fixed end of the spring and the fulcrum of the lever, and the fixed end of the spring being adjustable toward and from the axis of the valve.

In witness whereof I hereto afiix my signature.

HENRY HELLWEG. 

